THE REAL MOTHER OF ALL CARNIVALS

THE real mother of all Carnivals is coming – but not in Trinidad and Tobago. 

Notting Hill, in west London, which has celebrated 54 years of Trinidad and Tobago-style Carnival, is planning a massive comeback in 2022. 

Just like T&T, Notting Hill mas 2021 was cancelled because of Covid-19. 

Unlike this country, both the national and Carnival authorities acted proactively to ensure a return of the festival in 2022. 

The Covid-19 vaccination programme of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been largely successful. 

The Notting Hill Carnival organisers, led by Mathew Phillips, have launched fund-raising projects – such as a historical photographic book of the festival – to raise funds. 

Several concerts are scheduled to take place at indoor venues in central London over the next few days, with proceeds being used to assist mas bands and other participants. 

The Notting Hill Carnival – which attracts up to two million spectators – is not funded by taxpayers, unlike T&T’s street festival. 

The exciting British celebrations are said to be second in size only to Rio Carnival in Brazil. 

The Caribbean community in Toronto, Canada has also been planning for a return of its annual Caribana festival, which has up to one million onlookers. 

With the cancellation of this year’s Caribana, organisers in the Canadian city have been holding indoor events featuring Caribbean artiste. 

In Trinidad and Tobago, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi has bragged that 2022 would see the “mother of all Carnivals” even though most of the country is not vaccinated from the infectious and deadly disease. 

The local Carnival fraternity has also not done any pre-planning for a return of the festival. 

Local taxpayers fully fund the pre-Lenten celebrations, to the tune of around $150 million a year to mas, calypso and steelband stakeholders.